Passenger guidance system for multicar elevator

Abstract

Passenger guidance systems for a multicar elevator system and related methods are provided. The passenger guidance system includes a first landing door configured to provide access to at least one elevator car within a first lane, a second landing door configured to provide access to at least one elevator car within a second lane, a controller configured to receive information regarding the at least one elevator car within the first lane and the at least one elevator car within the second lane, and a first display controlled by the controller and configured to provide display information regarding a first elevator car in the first lane, the first elevator car of the first lane being one of (i) an elevator car currently located at the first landing door or (ii) an elevator car next to arrive at the first landing door.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A passenger guidance system for a multicar elevator system, the passenger guidance system comprising:
 a first landing door configured to provide access to at least one elevator car within a first lane; 
 a second landing door configured to provide access to at least one elevator car within a second lane; 
 a controller configured to receive information regarding the at least one elevator car within the first lane and the at least one elevator car within the second lane; 
 a first display controlled by the controller and configured to provide display information regarding a first elevator car in the first lane, the first elevator car of the first lane being one of (i) an elevator car currently located at the first landing door or (ii) an elevator car next to arrive at the first landing door, and 
 a second elevator car in the first lane, 
 wherein the display is configured to provide display information of the second elevator car in the first lane, wherein the second elevator car in the first lane is an elevator car that will arrive at the first landing door after the first elevator car leaves the first landing door. 
 
     
     
       2. The passenger guidance system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second display controlled by the controller and configured to provide display information regarding a first elevator car in the second lane, the first elevator car of the second lane being one of (i) an elevator car currently located at the second landing door or (ii) an elevator car next to arrive at the second landing door. 
     
     
       3. The passenger guidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the display is configured to provide the display information of the first elevator car and the second elevator car of the first lane at the same time. 
     
     
       4. The passenger guidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive a user input from a user requesting to use an elevator of the multicar elevator system. 
     
     
       5. The passenger guidance system of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to generate an assignment and display said assignment to the user, wherein the assignment comprises one of the first landing door and the second landing door based on the user input. 
     
     
       6. The passenger guidance system of  claim 5 , further comprising a second display controlled by the controller and configured to provide display information regarding a first elevator car in the second lane, the first elevator car of the second lane being one of (i) an elevator car currently located at the second landing door or (ii) an elevator car next to arrive at the second landing door. 
     
     
       7. The passenger guidance system of  claim 4 , wherein the user input includes a request for a user representation, wherein the controller associates the user representation with the user request for use of an elevator of the multicar elevator system, wherein the user representation is displayed on the first display to indicate which of the first landing door and the second landing door the user should wait for an elevator car. 
     
     
       8. The passenger guidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to estimate a time of arrival of each car within the first lane, the controller further configured to control the first display to display the estimated time of arrival for each elevator car within the first lane. 
     
     
       9. The passenger guidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the first display is configured to provide display information regarding a first elevator car in the second lane, the first elevator car of the second lane being one of (i) an elevator car currently located at the second landing door or (ii) an elevator car next to arrive at the second landing door. 
     
     
       10. A method of providing guidance to passengers of a multicar elevator system, the multicar elevator system comprising a first landing door configured to provide access to at least one elevator car within a first lane and a second landing door configured to provide access to at least one elevator car within a second lane, the method comprising:
 receiving information regarding the at least one elevator car within the first lane and the at least one elevator car within the second lane at a controller; and 
 displaying, on a first display, display information regarding a first elevator car in the first lane, the first elevator car of the first lane being one of (i) an elevator car currently located at the first landing door or (ii) an elevator car next to arrive at the first landing door, 
 the system further comprising a second elevator car in the first lane, the method further comprising displaying display information of the second elevator car in the first lane, wherein the second elevator car in the first lane is an elevator car that will arrive at the first landing door after the first elevator car leaves the first landing door. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising displaying, on a second display, display information regarding a first elevator car in the second lane, the first elevator car of the second lane being one of (i) an elevator car currently located at the second landing door or (ii) an elevator car next to arrive at the second landing door. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising displaying the display information of the first elevator car and the second elevator car of the first lane at the same time. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising receiving a user input from a user requesting to use an elevator of the multicar elevator system. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising generating an assignment and displaying said assignment to the user, wherein the assignment comprises one of the first landing door and the second landing door based on the user input. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising displaying, on a second display, display information regarding a first elevator car in the second lane, the first elevator car of the second lane being one of (i) an elevator car currently located at the second landing door or (ii) an elevator car next to arrive at the second landing door. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the user input includes a request for a user representation, the method further comprising associating the user representation with the user request for use of an elevator of the multicar elevator system, and displaying the user representation on the first display to indicate which of the first landing door and the second landing door the user should wait for an elevator car. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising estimating a time of arrival of each car within the first lane, and displaying the estimated time of arrival for each elevator car within the first lane. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising displaying, on the first display, information regarding a first elevator car in the second lane, the first elevator car of the second lane being one of (i) an elevator car currently located at the second landing door or (ii) an elevator car next to arrive at the second landing door. 
     
     
       19. A passenger guidance system for a multicar elevator system, the passenger guidance system comprising:
 a first landing door configured to provide access to at least one elevator car within a first lane; 
 a second landing door configured to provide access to at least one elevator car within a second lane; 
 a controller configured to receive information regarding the at least one elevator car within the first lane and the at least one elevator car within the second lane; and 
 a first display controlled by the controller and configured to provide display information regarding a first elevator car in the first lane, the first elevator car of the first lane being one of (i) an elevator car currently located at the first landing door or (ii) an elevator car next to arrive at the first landing door, 
 wherein the controller is configured to receive a user input from a user requesting to use an elevator of the multicar elevator system, 
 wherein the user input includes a request for a user representation, wherein the controller associates the user representation with the user request for use of an elevator of the multicar elevator system, wherein the user representation is displayed on the first display to indicate which of the first landing door and the second landing door the user should wait for an elevator car. 
 
     
     
       20. The passenger guidance system of  claim 19 , further comprising a second display controlled by the controller and configured to provide display information regarding a first elevator car in the second lane, the first elevator car of the second lane being one of (i) an elevator car currently located at the second landing door or (ii) an elevator car next to arrive at the second landing door.